The present invention refers to a feeding apparatus such as a rotary feeder or cellular wheel sluice, and in particular to a rotary feeder of the type including a housing provided with two lateral bearing caps, with one bearing cap accommodating a fixed bearing and the other bearing cap accommodating a loose bearing for supporting the shaft of a rotary member.
Rotary feeders of this type are known and used in pneumatic transporting plants for a variety of purposes. For inspection and/or maintenance and also during change of bulk material, especially during a color change, it is required to periodically dismantle the rotary feeder. Since the rotary member is supported in a loose bearing in one bearing cap and in a fixed bearing in the other bearing cap, with the motor drive being accommodated on the side of the loose bearing, the dismantling of the rotary feeder was carried out by disassembling the bearing cap with the fixed bearing and pulling it out together with the rotary member from the housing. Auxiliary devices were used in order to avoid improper handling during dismantling and to counter any possible danger of accident especially when large and thus heavy rotary feeders are concerned. Such auxiliary devices as e.g. round rods mounted to the respective bearing cap and received in guides at the outside of the housing have been proven unsatisfactory.